The Hardest Decision
by Grinning Purple Cheshire Cat
Summary: This was not the gift Jamie had wanted for Christmas...
1. Frayed Nerves

A/N: First I must apologize for the complete unoriginality of this fic. I'm sure you all are sick of reading fics like this, but it seems that every author in his or her lifetime must write one, so I decided I might as well try my hand at it and get it over with. In the words of Stephen King, "Sometimes stories cry out to be told in such loud voices, that you write them down just to shut them up." That's the case in this story. I'm just writing it down so it'll stop screaming to be told. I am also sorry that this is a little late to be a Christmas fic. I had it done before Christmas, but due to stupid computer problems, I have only just gotten around to posting it. Enjoy.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Jamie still remembered the day she had told him. It had been a warm, summer night near the end of July. They had just gotten back from going out for dinner and were enjoying the misty outdoors, slightly foggy with the evaporating water from the light rain they had just had, in front of his apartment.  
  
"Jamie..." She held her outstretched arms out to him and he took her hands in his.  
  
"What?"  
  
She bit her bottom lip nervously as she stared down at the concrete porch they were standing on. "I don't know...Jamie...I'm scared..."  
  
"Scared?" He dropped her hand for a moment to tuck a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "Of what?"  
  
"I...I could be pregnant."  
  
"P-pregnant?" he stammered, his heart skipping a beat. "From...the other night?"  
  
She silently nodded.  
  
"Well...Caitie...are you positive?"  
  
"Of course I'm not *positive*, and I won't be able to find out for a while, either; those home testers don't work unless you're a week or so before your period..."  
  
Jamie shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "What about going to a doctor?"  
  
Caitie looked up at him in wide-eyed surprise. "Oh, Jamie, I couldn't do that! If my parents found out, they would kill me!"  
  
"...but...if...you are...you'd eventually have to tell them anyway, right?"  
  
"Oh, God, I don't even want tot hink about that." her hands slipped out of his grasp and ran their way up his arms till the met around his neck. "What if I am? Jamie, are we ready for a kid? What should we consider? Abortion? Adoption?"  
  
"No abortion," he firmly interrupted. "And...no adoption, either. I think we should keep it. i mean, we're nearly eighteen, we're almost done with school...you can take a year off after graduation, before college, while I finish my senior year...this will all work out..."  
  
Caitie couldn't help herself. She burst into tears and burried her face in his shoulder.  
  
Jamie let his arms wrap around her waist. "Shh, it's okay. Don't...jump to conclusions just yet. Let's find out for sure first. We're probably just over-reacting. It was only our first time..."  
  
Caitie sobbed into his shrit, hoping to death he was right.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
By the next day, Jamie had finally talked her into seeing a gynochologyst. The two of them were waitign anxiously in the lobby of the Kingsport Heath Clinic for the results of Caitie's test. More than anything else in the world, Caitie was thankful that Jamie was still by her side. Just about any other guy would have high-tailed it for the hills by now, but not Jamie. He cared about her enough to be there for her, to help her through this...  
  
"Caitlyn Roth?"  
  
She was shaken out of her trance by the voice of the young nurse as she stood waiting in the doorway.  
  
"Uh...yeah?" She shakilly stood up.  
  
"If you'd please, walk this way."  
  
Caitie started for the swinging white doors in the direction indicated. Jamie hesitated for a moment, then got up to follow her.  
  
"You may come too," the blonde nurse motioned, noticing his apprehension.  
  
They entered a smaller room with the stereo type whitewashed walls and light-tiled floors.  
  
"Please, have a seat," she waved towards two uncomfortable-looking chairs as she set the folder she was holding down ont he counter and opened it up. "Well," she took a deep breath. "Though really it's a little early to be one-hundred percent positive...all signs point to yes. You're going to be a mommy."  
  
"Oh my God." Caitie sunk lower in her chair, covering her eyes with one hand.  
  
"Erm...and can I assume you're the father?" the nurse asked Jamie timidly. "Because we can run a DNA test..."  
  
"No, no," Caitie quickly shook her head. "It's him...it was both our first time..."  
  
"Okay," she smiled comfortingly. "Sorry if I offended you, but we're required to mention that service now, to make sure our patients know it's availible. You know how the world is today...sometimes one can't be positive..."  
  
"It's okay, I understand." Caitie felt like she was going to be sick.  
  
"I don't mean to bore you with statistics, but over two thirds of all teen pregnancies occur from that 'first time.' That's why I would highly reccomend using protection, though sometimes even that's not enough..."  
  
"I know," Jamie said faintly. "We just kind of...got lost in the moment."  
  
"On the form you filled out here, it says you're only seventeen? Have you given any thought as to what you will do with the baby? If you find yourself too young, you can always put it up for adoption...or, if you haven't decided, no rush-"  
  
"No adoption," Caitie said suddenly, her eyes refocusing to the present. "I...we...we're going to keep it." She glanced at Jamie for support, and he nodded confidently. "I mean, don't tell us we're too young or anything. I'm going to be eighteen in a couple of months, this is my last year of school...it's my child and I'm not going to just give it away!"  
  
"Now, now, calm down, dear," the nurse said calmly.  
  
"I...I'm sorry," Caitie quickly apologized. "I'm just a little...sensitive right now."  
  
"That's quite alright. I've had this job for six years, so I've seen every reaction one can have in this sort of situation." She paused for a moment, then continued, "Well, there's nothing more to do here...You may want to set up another appointment for next month at the front desk on your way out."  
  
"I will," Caitie forced a smile, struggling to swallow against the rock hard lump that had formed in her throat.  
  
Jamie had felt just as terrible inside. He was the cause of all this, he was the one putting Caitie through all this hell. One didn't do that to the person they loved. That's why he decided he would always be there for her. From this day forward, he would never leave her side.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Jamie could still recall the day they had told both their parents. His had been shocked and very disappointed in him, though they were happy that he wasn't going to leave Caitie, claiming that "even if he hadn't decided to stay, they would have made him anyway." Caitie's parents were surprisingly extremely understanding as well, doing the best thing they could do, helping Caitie cope with this new situation, not scaring her or trying to make her feel quilty or ashamed.  
  
Yes, everything was going to be fine. Everything was going to be okay.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
It was now December, in the middle of the winter. Caitie was five months along with her baby, which had turned out to be a boy.  
  
Caitie always loved the Christmas time. Everyone always seemed so happy and cheerful...It was six o'clock after school on a chilly Thrusday afternoon. She an Jamie, as well as their other four friends, Val, Tyler, Hank, and Booke, were at the EMT station, decorating the place for the holidays.  
  
"I can't WAIT until you have this kid!" Brooke exclaimed, sitting down next to Caitie on the couch. "You are SO going to hire me as your babysitter, and I'lle ven give you a discounted price, too!"  
  
"Okay, Brooke, if you're done talking to Caitie's stomach, maybe you'd like to start cleaning up Alex's desk?" Val interrupted as she handed Tyler more tape to hang the garland up. "He requested you specifically, seeing as you're the only one who really knows where all the paperwork goes...and when did I suddenly become the one who's griping about unfinished work?"  
  
"Ha! The tree has been officially lighted and every single bulb works. Beat that!" Hank grinned victoriously.  
  
"Looks great!" Val smiled cheerfully. "Alex will sure be surprised when he gets back!"  
  
Alex had left for California two days ago with his newly-wed wife to visit his in-laws. He was due back the day before Christmas.  
  
"Anyone feel like helping me put up the ornaments?" Hank asked.  
  
Caitie stretched as she stood up. Her stomach wasn't SO big yet; she only looked like she was a little fat...though anyone who called her such would instantly regret it when they found their nose wasn't exactly the same shape as it had once started. "I will, about time I did some of the work."  
  
"Um..." Jamie spoke up from his place on the floor wrapping their gift to Alex. "Do the ones on the bottom, but please leave the top branches for Hank. I don't want you on that ladder...it's too dangerous."  
  
"Jamie, would you stop with the 'everything's too dangerous' bit already? I can't do anything anymore. Just because I'm having a baby doesn't mean I've suddenly turned to glass." She rolled her eyes exasperatedly and rather annoyedly began hanging the ornaments on the low branches.  
  
"Here, Jamie," Tyler quickly changed the subject, finishing hanging the garlend and hopping off the chair he had been standing on. "I bought two of those fake snow sprays for the windows, wanna help me put it up?"  
  
But again, Jamie looked rather reluctant. "We should wait for that. I don't really want Caitie inhaling that stuff."  
  
"Jamie! Cut it out!" Caitie glared at him, her eyes flashing dangerously. "That's not going to hurt anything! Stop making such a big deal about this-"  
  
"Stop making such a big deal out of it?" He laughed incredulusly. "Out of what? The fact that you're pregnant? That's suddenly not a big deal anymore?"  
  
"Ever since I started showing, you've acted like I can't do anything for myself anymore! I'm not suddenly super fragile now! I haven't changed that much!"  
  
"Caitie...I just don't want anything to happen to our baby. He's my kid too, you know."  
  
"Are you trying to tell me you think I don't care about my child?!"  
  
"I'm just saying that you put yourself through some needless risks sometimes."  
  
"Needless risks?! Jamie, we're decorating a room for Christmas!"  
  
"Honey, please, calm down, there's no need to get so worked up about this. And besides, stress isn't good for the baby..."  
  
Well past the use of words, she just let out a frusterated shreek, shoved the ornament she was holding on the first branch she grabbed, and stormed over to the couch where she had left her coat. "Well, fine, I guess it's too dangerous here for me...Oh yes, emergency medical stations aren't safe at all for a pregnant woman, no sir..."  
  
"Caitie, please listen-"  
  
"No, you listen," she snapped, picking up her purse and slinging it over her shoulder. "I'll just get out of your hair now. Go ahead, spray that snow stuff till you can't even see through the glass. I'll be at home, all alone, but at least I'll be safe right?" She smiled wryly. "Seeing as I can't do anything more than sit somewhere, though then that might be too dangerous too. Should I risk dying from boredom?"  
  
Jamie didn't say anything. He only stood there, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.  
  
"See you later everyone. Have fun decorating." She started for the door, then paused for a moment. "You know, I think I know what to get you for Christmas now, Jamie. A new skull, one that's not so thick."  
  
And with that, she turned and left, Jamie yelling "Please drive carefully! The roads could be slick-" after her as she slammed the door rather loudly behind her.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
A/N: Eh. Not particularly proud of this. But I'm going to finish it anyway. This is the epitome of over-used plots, I know, so I don't blame you a bit of you don't want to read anymore of it, or review it for that matter. Though reviews would be appreciated. Thanks a bunch 


	2. Happy Holidays?

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews!!  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Jamie stood there for a moment, watching the door Caitie had disappeared out of and rubbing his temples exasperatedly.  
  
Val opened her mouth to say something, but Tyler, knowing it was undoubtedly something in Caitie's defense (and not something Jamie would want to hear at the moment), gave her a warning glance and she shut it again.  
  
There was an awkward silence for a while, as no one knew quite what to say, but it was soon broken by Jamie, who walked back over to the ornament box Hank had momentarily forgotten about during the argument. "Come on, are we going to hang these things up or not?"  
  
Hank nodded and bent down to help him.  
  
Another long period of silence followed this, with only the soft hum of the heater in the basement below them and the rustling of the tree branches as the four EMT's worked together to hang the last of the Christmas decorations.  
  
Finally, Jamie sighed and stuffed his hands guiltilly in his jeans pockets, looking sheepishly up at Val, who was standing on a char, putting the star on the tree's top. "Do...do you think I was a little rough on her?"  
  
"Well," she answered, "If you want MY opinion..." Tyler coughed. Whether he really had something in his throat or if he was just trying to get her attention, Val didn't know, but she spoke her mind anyway. "I think you guys are all alike. You're so protective! Really, you don't need to be that paranoid, especially about someone like Caitie. She's a big girl, Jamie. She knows her limits; what she should and shouldn't do."  
  
Jamie stared down at the ground, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Well...I feel kind of bad...would you guys be too disappointed if I left early? I want to go apologize..."  
  
"Not at all," Val gave him an appraising smile. "Go ahead, we'll cover the rest of the shift for you."  
  
He nodded his thanks and grabbed his coat, buttoning it up and wrapping his scarf tightly around his neck. A quick glance out the window at the outside weather told him it was snowing outside. A very light snow, but still snow none the less. Which meant it had to be below freezing, or close to it. "It's times like these when I wish I had a car..."  
  
Hank stared at him incredulusly. "You mean you rode all the way over here on your motorcycle?"  
  
"Well, it wasn't snowing when I came in the morning..."  
  
"Dude, it's freezing outside! You can take my car if you'd like," Hank offered, but Jamie refused.  
  
"And leave my bike out here to freeze? No thanks. Really, I'll be fine," he flashed his trademark daredevil, roguish grin.  
  
"Well, you're certainly not going to go outside riding a motorcycle without a head covering!" Not even bothering to ask for Tyler's consent, she grabbed his orange and blue Chicago Bears hat from the peg he had hung it on and stuffed it onto his head, pulling it down so far it nearly covered his eyes.  
  
"Aw, but I don't even like the Bears," he protested.  
  
"Too bad, at least this way you won't turn into a human ice sculpture." She fished around in his pockets until she found a pair of gloves, which she forced onto his hands, and wrapped his scarf around his neck a third time. She stood back and admired her work, doubtful that it was enough, but she didn't add anything more.  
  
"You sure you don't want to borrow my car?" Hank offered again.  
  
"Thanks anyway, but no. I'll be okay."  
  
Val smiled weakly. "Good luck."  
  
"See ya," he nodded, and headed for the door.  
  
It was colder than he had expected and the sudden change in temperature sent chills up his spine. Brushing off the light dusting of snow that had accumulated on his seat, he swung his leg over it and slipped his helmet on, snapping shut the latch beneath his chin. His cumbersome gloved fingers rather clumsily fit the key into the ignition, and the motorcycle roared to life underneath him. He involuntarily shivered as he backed out of his parking space. He was cold already. The ride to Caitie's house was gong to be fifteen minutes through hell (or at least a frozen over one). Normally, he would have had his older brother's car, since he usually bummed a ride to work with one of his friends. The only problem was that his friend had come down with a bad cold at the last minute, so his brother had to drive himself, and his parents had to take the other car, so...that left him with nothing but his motorcycle. Come on, it didn't sound so insane that morning when the stupid lying weartherman had claimed the high would be fifty.  
  
He kicked the accelerator pedal and sped off down the darkened street.  
  
If he thought he was cold before, he had no idea what he was in for. He wished to death his bike had a windsheild. The icy cold wind was hitting him head on, numbing his face to the point where all feeling was voic, whipping his scarf around distractingly, somehow managing to seep all the way between ever last stitch in his clothing, chilling him to the bone. The snowflakes, which had once looked like tiny, soft puffs of cotton drifting daintily down to earth before he had left the station, now seemed to be as sharp as needles, traveling at mach speeds against him, stinging his eyes and cheeks wherever they collided.  
  
He swerved sharply and narrowly missed a patch of black ice he had failed to notice before. If he got out of this alive, he was going to sue the weatherman.  
  
The snow was coming down harder now, filling his vision with blurs of white.  
  
His eyes were tearing up with the effort of soothing the pinpricks of pain they caused, distorting the view of the road in front of him. He quickly blinked several times to clear his sight, but more snow would only take its place.  
  
He imagined looking at one of the snowflakes under a microscope and finding all its edges sharpened to fine, serrated points, like the blade of a knife. That was certainly what it felt like. He almost laughed, and would have too, if he had not been distracted.  
  
His bike hit an invisible sheet of ice. He could feel it beneath him as all friction vanished. The motorcycle wobbled dangerously from side to side for a moment, then slid out from underneath him.  
  
In what seemed like slow motion, Jamie went down. His teeth clicked loudly together as the cold, hard ground rushed up to meet his chin. He laid there for a moment, still in shock over the whole ordeal, then moaned and propped himself up on his right arm, the left one trying to massage the feeling back into his tingling jaw. One leg, his right one, was still stuck beneath the heavy Harley, and he worked to get it free, and gingerly touching the sensitive area. It had hurt a lot, and there was definately going to be a big bruise there tomorrow, but he didn't think there was any serious injury.  
  
He shakilly got to his feet, brushing the snow and slush off his butt that had begun to seep through his jeans, then worked on getting his motorcycle up.  
  
A set of headlights appeared on the horizon, marking the approach of a vehicle. Ten seconds later, a giant semi rumbled past, dangerously close, bringing with it a tail wind so strong he had to fight to stay upright, and so cold it caught his breath in his throat and froze his entire body solid, including his heart, which took a good minute or so to get it beating regularly again.  
  
Oh yes, that weatherman better enjoy all his posessions while he still had them.  
  
He lifted his bike back up on its two wheels again. The engine was still running, thankfully, and he swung his leg over the side and continued on his merry freezing way.  
  
He thought of the weatherman, who was probably sitting all warm and happy in his dry home and silently cursed him. After he won all his money and posessions in a lawsuit, he would tie him naked to the roof of that semi truck and send him on a three hour tour of Antarctica. See if he thought it was still fifty degrees outside. Oh yes, that's exactly what he'd do.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Val's eyes glanced worriedly out the window at the falling snow. "I hope Jamie made it okay..."  
  
Briiiiiiiiiiiing!  
  
The sound of the station's telephone ringing rudely interrupted the mood Alfred Hitchcock had been striving for, as Hank, Tyler, Val, and Brooke were gathered around the TV watching "Psycho."  
  
"I'll get it," Brooke finally volunteered half-heartedly. "Don't everyone get up at once." She lifted the reciever off the base. "Hello, Kingsport Volunteer EMS?" Pause. "Okay, where?" she hurriedly scribbled something down on a piece of scratchpaper. "Okay, we'll be right there, thanks for calling us." She hung up and walked back to her sister and two friends. "Sorry, but we're going to have to watch the movie some other time. There's been an accident."  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
A/N: I still don't like this fic much. But I still left you with a nice cliffhanger ^_^ Is it Jamie? or Caitie? Or someone else totally non- relevant to the story? Pwease R/R ^_^ 


End file.
